• Žofín Academy: participating institution

Advance information of this event noting its date, time and venue was published in the Tagesanzeiger text of Bohemia 17/7/1851. The newspaper also contained a report in the Lokalzeitung section which noted in addition to the above details that the event was given for members of the Academy. The programme and selected participating soloists were also specified. Also on 17/7/1851 Lumír reported that ‘Today the Žofín Academy arranges a musical entertainment, namely in the Spa in the Little Quarter. Among the pieces being performed will be the following Czech pieces: Věřím v Boha, chorus by F. Škroup; Song by Gumbert, performed Mr Peták. Lovecká [Jagdchor], chorus by L. Spohr.’

A concise review of the occasion, signed ‘V.’, was published by Bohemia 20/7/1851. This identified the choral compositions that were performed, and noted that most appreciated by an audience ‘that was quite different from the one usually attending Prague concerts’ was the work by Spohr, which was encored. The performances of these works was described as ‘rounded [als gerundet bezeichnet werden]’. Of the works for solo voice, the duet duet for two female voices by Lührtz was considered to be ‘quite a graceful composition, despite, or in point of fact because, it moves totally within the amiable sphere of Mendelssohn’s compositional style. Gumbert’s ‘humming’ song had to be repeated, and ‘Bösse Genosse’ performed by Nedwěd [Nedvěd] ‘was so pleasing that the singer was twice called back to the stage; he performed two partly humourous Czech songs as an encore.’ The greater part of the remainder of this review text comprised comment by the correspondent upon how the concert programmes given by Academy had apparently declined in variety of content compared with previous years. Earlier productions ‘mainly presented us with all the newest and most interesting works from the whole repertoire, with the greatest possible expense [of presenting] numerous and accomplished instrumentalists and signers in dignified performances. Since then the concerts have shrunk to officious ‘musical entertainment for ... [Academy] members; they more or less have the character of private productions and do not inspire any deeper review concerning the choice [of programmes] and performances, which keep to the same familiar soloists. However, it has to be said that what is performed is never below the level of decency. And surely it is better to stay within the limits of certain boundaries rather than performing something below standard.’ Finally, the correspondent reported that the performance of Beethoven’s Trio was appreciated [by the audience], although a better piano, particularly in the Andante,‘ would have been desirable.’

The programme is reproduced in projected performance order according to the Bohemia 17/7/1851 report. Additional details published by the Bohemia 20/7/1851 review facilitated identification of the works performed in the programme. Following the unspecified fugue by Kaiser, Mr Nedwěd [Nedvěd] performed Der böse Genosse. No composer was attributed to the work; that this was a musical setting of the poem and not a reading was confirmed by the subesequent Bohemia review text. The work by Škroup was identified by the Bohemia pre-concert report as ‘Věřím v Boha’ [I believe in God], the Czech transliteration of the Creed. This is confirmed by the subsequent review, which identified the work as ‘F. Škroup’s... Glaubensbekenntniss’. The language of performance cannot be ascertained from the source. The fugues by Kaiser and Spohr were noted by the Bohemia review to have been vocal compositions. Spohr’s Hunting Chorus was identified by the earlier Bohemia report and the later review as, respectively, Lovecká and Jagdchor; the language of performance was not however specified. In the Trio by Beethoven the violin and violoncello parts were noted as being given by the ‘artistic hands [Künstlerhänden]’ of Král and Prachner. The pianist Havelik was identified as a pupil of the Academy.